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Mining companies impede progress in indigenous rights

‘The mining industries are destroying our lands. That is not development. The colonisers came to our lands because we were rich, not poor.’

Struggle For Native Rights Making Headway: Global Issues by Haider Rizvi (united nations)  , April 19, 2010 * Inter Press Service International efforts to protect the rights of the world’s aboriginal communities seem to be gaining strength despite opposition from certain powers that continue to abuse native lands and resources in the name of development.

On Monday, as hundreds of indigenous leaders gathered here for the ninth annual session of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the government of New Zealand declared it was ready to sign on to the international document that recognises native peoples’ right to self-determination…..

In September 2007, when majority of the U.N. General Assembly voted in favour of the Declaration, New Zealand chose to side with the United States, Canada, and Australia, the only three nations that vehemently opposed the text of that historic document.

The Declaration was opposed by these countries because it calls for states to acknowledge indigenous peoples right to self-determination and demands that private interests must obtain ‘prior and informed consent’ from the natives for use of land for commercial and development purposes.

Recently, Australia not only signed on to the Declaration, but its government also apologised to the indigenous communities for injustices and unfair policies that previous governments had practiced and adopted over the past several decades…………….Carlos Mamani Condori, the incoming chairman of the Forum, said despite slow progress, several government are taking positive steps.

In response to a question about poverty among indigenous communities, he said: ‘The mining industries are destroying our lands. That is not development. The colonisers came to our lands because we were rich, not poor.’

Struggle For Native Rights Making Headway: — Global Issues

April 22, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, indigenous issues | antinuclear, uranium